July Open Period

[Psolo12]

Lively is a menace for Team Final ripping down boards and altering alot of shots. This Seattle team doesn't have much size but still.

 

[navery12]

Watching this NY Runs game and Dominick Barlow, who's playing over Flip, is going absolutely insane. Crazy bounce.

 

[Psolo12]

Yeah that kid is NICE. Looks like it was only a matter of time before he broke out.

 

[Psolo12]

Bol Bowen's not playing with the 2022 Expressions this game, just Karaban. Good game so far.

 

[lange10]

Bol Bowen's not playing with the 2022 Expressions this game, just Karaban. Good game so far.

This game is AAU 101 and I love it lol. Miniature-sized gym, full court press, defense chants from the bench echoing throughout ultimately leading to mayhem.

Guards on Expressions are really struggling to control the tempo, so Karaban is having a tough time getting going. He’s still making plays and involved, though. Six points (all from the line 6-6) and five rebounds in the first half.

 

[Psolo12]

This game is AAU 101 and I love it lol. Miniature-sized gym, full court press, defense chants from the bench echoing throughout ultimately leading to mayhem.

Guards on Expressions are really struggling to control the tempo, so Karaban is having a tough time getting going. He’s still making plays and involved, though. Six points (all from the line 6-6) and five rebounds in the first half.

Schifiano or however you spell it from Thad is really controlling the game and tempo. Expressions doesn't have a guard that can do that right now. Thad is suffocating on defense too, swarming every ball handler.

 

[husky429]

Bol Bowen's not playing with the 2022 Expressions this game, just Karaban. Good game so far.

Bowen plays 16u

 

[Psolo12]

Bowen plays 16u

He played up in Indy so I wasn't sure whether or not he was going to keep playing up or not.

 

[superjohn]

Expressions getting out-talanted, Karaban and Claude are their only high major players. Not a good couple of games for Karaban, he has a nice stroke but nothing is falling for him from the floor the past couple, 8-8 from the stipe though. He's been loose with the ball turning it over, that and the shooting aren't a concern, I know he's a shooter but the inability to finish around the rim is a bit concerning in these games. Claude has played the best for them in the last couple of games but the team is getting exposed a bit.

 

[Psolo12]

Expressions getting out-talanted, Karaban and Claude are their only high major players. Not a good couple of games for Karaban, he has a nice stroke but nothing is falling for him from the floor the past couple, 8-8 from the stipe though. He's been loose with the ball turning it over, that and the shooting aren't a concern, I know he's a shooter but the inability to finish around the rim is a bit concerning in these games. Claude has played the best for them in the last couple of games but the team is getting exposed a bit.

He's been getting fouled every time he goes to the rack this game.

 

[superjohn]

He's been getting fouled every time he goes to the rack this game.

I haven't seen that, he looks like he's getting sped up at the rim and is going up flat footed, it's been the case the past two games.

 

[Psolo12]

I haven't seen that, he looks like he's getting sped up at the rim and is going up flat footed, it's been the case the past two games.

I meant that as in he's been getting to the line a decent amount. A few he should have finished but didn't, especially this last game against Thad.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Bowen plays 16u

Is it typical for a 5 star type prospect to stay with his age group or do these kids typically play up?

 

[husky429]

Is it typical for a 5 star type prospect to stay with his age group or do these kids typically play up?

Just depends on the program. Oddly enough, papa kante a lower ranked 2023 is playing up

 

[seeya27]

Info on Justin Edwards, 2023 POI.

 

[superjohn]

Bol Bowen with a game winning buzzer beater three for Expressions.

 

[ToolzieFan]

Here is Bowen’s game-winner.

 

[navery12]

 

[Hey Adrien!]

 

[husky429]

Watched some of our 2023 targets...

Ducharme

• Starts 17u
• Too right hand dominant
• Great effort on the boards and contesting shots
• Plays at the head of their press.
• GREAT shot early. Made a ridiculous contested 3
• Good+ athlete… but not great, but doesn’t rely on it in his game very much.
• Looks like a combo-guard, maybe a pure 2 to me… Hawkins replacement.
• FANTASTIC looking stroke.
• Really, really like his IQ on defense

Power

• Starts 17u
• Great size for his skill set
• Lacking some athleticism
• Had a good block in the help
• Made a really solid high-iq steal and bucket in the 2nd Q.
• Looks like a 4 to me. Has a + handle for the position though.
• Really like his ability to rebound and lead the break.
• Questionable decision-making in transition. Got in the air a couple times with nowhere to go passing the rock
• People saying he's not good enough to recruit have no idea how to project talent. TBH I don't really think he's fits our Xs and Os scheme because we really rely on athletic PFs (especially if we're expecting Karaban). But He's a talented kid.

Edwards:

• LENGTH… Arms to his damn knees. body of a future NBA star. A little skinny now, but right where you’d expect a junior to be.
• Classic SF/Wing and plays like it.
• Super quick and athletic
• Still developing his shot, but it doesn’t look bad

Johns:

• Good looking stroke… I think 2/4 from 3.
• Bigger than I thought he was … I thought he was only 6’2 or so. Must be 6’4 or more
• Took a great charge
• Definitely a SG

Lemond:

• Still not impressed. No desire to recruit a 6'2 complete non-shooter. There must be something he's shown at other times we're not seeing at peach jam

 

[Umami Zen]

Watched some of our 2023 targets...

Ducharme

• Starts 17u
• Too right hand dominant
• Great effort on the boards and contesting shots
• Plays at the head of their press.
• GREAT shot early. Made a ridiculous contested 3
• Good+ athlete… but not great, but doesn’t rely on it in his game very much.
• Looks like a combo-guard, maybe a pure 2 to me… Hawkins replacement.
• FANTASTIC looking stroke.
• Really, really like his IQ on defense

Power

• Starts 17u
• Great size for his skill set
• Lacking some athleticism
• Had a good block in the help
• Made a really solid high-iq steal and bucket in the 2nd Q.
• Looks like a 4 to me. Has a + handle for the position though.
• Really like his ability to rebound and lead the break.
• Questionable decision-making in transition. Got in the air a couple times with nowhere to go passing the rock
• People saying he's not good enough to recruit have no idea how to project talent. TBH I don't really think he's fits our Xs and Os scheme because we really rely on athletic PFs (especially if we're expecting Karaban). But He's a talented kid.

Edwards:

• LENGTH… Arms to his damn knees. body of a future NBA star. A little skinny now, but right where you’d expect a junior to be.
• Classic SF/Wing and plays like it.
• Super quick and athletic
• Still developing his shot, but it doesn’t look bad

Johns:

• Good looking stroke… I think 2/4 from 3.
• Bigger than I thought he was … I thought he was only 6’2 or so. Must be 6’4 or more
• Took a great charge
• Definitely a SG

Lemond:

• Still not impressed. No desire to recruit a 6'2 complete non-shooter. There must be something he's shown at other times we're not seeing at peach jam

Great analysis.. Hypothetical question based on your eye test/research.. Who would you like for remaining openings for 2022 and 2023 based on roster needs?? BTW.. Not expecting you to know what DH/staff is thinking

 

[Ricker]

Watching Bol-Bowen, Gavin Griffiths, and Matas Buzelis, on 2 diff courts.

I'm getting sold on Griffiths over Ducharme as a 6'6 ish deep shooting specialist. I was predisposed to want Ducharme bad. Ducharme does play the point on defense chasing in a zone. As I write this Griffiths hits another key 3.

Karaban 14/14 FT has been noted. Bowen also looks real smooth at the line. I love that skill from front court guys that force action so tend to get to the line a lot. Bowen just got a nice rebound, was deprived of the outlet pass, so took it end to end himself all the way to the rim in a 5 pt game. Sold on him too.

Buzelis has had a nice flow in this game. These are all players that would bring something nice playing team ball with quality play. Did lose his jock strap with 1 move a guard put on him.

This whole tournament has been a reminder that good highly rated players don't always show up if you only see a game or 2.

FYI The NJ Scholars are 0-4 to today with 7' top 30 Aaron Bradshaw, 6'9 top 20 Mackenzie Mgbako, top 5 rated Dajuan Wagner, 6'6 G Quadir Copeland, and Elijah Perkins G that looked good in highlights and visited UConn a long while back but seems to have disappeared off our radar. Talent doesn't automatically equal W's

 

[superjohn]

Griffiths wasn't making them early but hit I think 4 threes in a row in the second half to finish with 23 points for Expressions. I want Bol Bowen and Griffiths.

 

[husky429]

Great analysis.. Hypothetical question based on your eye test/research.. Who would you like for remaining openings for 2022 and 2023 based on roster needs?? BTW.. Not expecting you to know what DH/staff is thinking

For 2022 I want Karaban and either Starling or Anglin. I prefer Karaban over Rodgers--I cannot get on board with anyone who can't shoot. Starling is better because of his size and better finishing, but seems like the stars are aligning with Anglin recently. Anglin is the better passer anyways so it isn't a huge loss or anything.

2023 we're still just going after the best talent available I assume. I believe these are the players we've offered or watched recently.

C - Miranda
PF - Powers
PF - Bowen
PF - Buzelis
SF - Edwards
SF - Middleton
SG - Ducharme
SG - Johns
PG - Lemond

I have a strong feeling about Bowen and hope he can come in as an Akok disciple/clone. I don't think we're really recruiting Powers that hard. Not sure about Ducharme--haven't watched their team this weekend I don't think. I haven't seen much I liked from Lemond this weekend, but he could just be off his game the past few days for whatever reason. The rest are all really talented.

2023 is going to be our best recruiting class yet if I had to guess. This is our chance to get the first true 5* under Hurley. We're in early on some really, really good players.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Tom Moore watched NH Lightning vs Team Melo, anyone know who we're looking at there?